Superboy and all related characters are registered trademarked characters owned by DC Comics. Used without permission. As indicated by the title, this story is set in the Superman/Superboy continuity prior to the 1986 revamp.

It was early December; the first December after the Kents had sold their farm and took over the General Store in town. It was late afternoon, shortly after when Smallville High let out. Jonathan and Martha Kent were taking inventory of the newly re-christened Kent General Store.

The store was empty, when they heard someone moving around in the back of the building.

"Clark, is that you?" Martha called. Clark hadn't dug the tunnels out of town yet. Superboy, Martha assumed, would use the back door where Clark would use the front.

"No. I'm looking for him," came the reply from the rear of the building. The visitor was heading to the front of the store. Martha put down her clipboard and paper. Jonathan climbed down off of the ladder he had been using to count the stock on upper shelves.

He wore a white-fur trimmed red coat over a flannel shirt and overalls. And work boots. He was short and heavyset. His square framed eyeglasses rested on a cherry-like nose. His long white beard was well trimmed. His rosy cheeks hid the man's pallor. Jonathan and Martha recognised whom their unexpected guest looked like, even without the proper uniform. Naturally, they were incredulous.

"Oh, no. I was just telling Mister -uh- Kringle here how he should try asking at the department store up the street."

"Kringle, huh? Riiiight," Pete was sarcastic.

"Actually," the stranger said, "I'm here to talk to the Kents about animal husbandry. I raise animals, you see. In fact at one point, I got some livestock from a relative of theirs. There have been some complications with the health of a few head and I'm hoping they could help me."

"Why not just contact this relative?" Lana asked.

"He's no longer with us," the stranger said.

"Oh."

"But back in the day, he was the spitting image of young Clark here."

When Pete Ross realised that the stranger was talking about Clark's real family, he knew his and Lana's presence was a problem. "C'mon Lana. They're talking farm animals, and Clark's gonna have to help with the inventory now. Let's head down to the library. We've got some research some to do for that assignment on ancient Egypt we got in History."

"Oh, we don't need the library. We'll just get the books we need from my dad." the pretty redhead said, and she dragged Pete out of the store.

Once they were gone, the stranger said, "I'm sorry, but we're losing time. Clark, I need your help. As Superboy."

"I'm sorry, but there mus..." Clark started.

"Look at the roof," the stranger commanded.

Despite himself, Clark used his x-ray vision. "Only two?"

"Not a full load. Didn't need the full team. Can we go?"

"Clark?" Martha said.

"Ma," Clark replied, "There's a sleigh pulled by two miniature reindeer parked on the roof."

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Shortly, the stranger, riding in his sleigh, was flying alongside the blue and red clad form of Superboy.

"I'll follow you," Superboy said.

"You know where the North Pole is, boy."

"True, but, I don't want to lose you in my wake."

"Your wake? On Comet! On Dasher!" the man cried and he cracked the reins.

Superboy had to work to keep up.

In moments, they were at the North Pole. Superboy could see the house, and the Workshop, and the old man's remarkable army of helpers, but was led to the barn. Soon he saw the problem.

"Dancer's having problems with this birth," the old man said.

Superboy looked at where the reindeer lay. His X-Ray vision confirmed what Clark suspected. Dancer's calf was turned around, trying to be born backwards. "I see the problem, sir. But if I may... why me?"

"Because the Kents raised you on a farm, and have experience," the old man said. Dancer spasmed. The wooden barn floor was smashed to splinters beneath her. "And then there's her strength and near-invulnerability."

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Fifteen minutes later, Dancer's calf was out. Superboy had decided to use a cesarean section, his heat vision the cutting tool. Dancer was already back up on her feet and healed. Her calf was suckling.

Superboy was rolling his blue sleeves back down. "She's back up already? Wow."

"No more remarkable than your own recuperative abilities," Nicolas said.

Superboy nodded. The few times in his life he had been injured, he had bounced back very quickly. But he was a Kryptonian under a yellow sun. That didn't explain the reindeer. Or did it.

"Great Krypton! The reindeer. They're Kryptonian?" Superboy was stunned. Then it dawned on him, "What you told Pete and Lana back in the store. That was the truth?"

"Yes. He was raising reindeer on Krypton. Well, they're much smaller, and much more domesticable, but they're still reindeer."

Superboy looked surprised.

"Kal-el. Krypton had humans and dogs and monkeys. Many of Krypton's lifeforms are parallel to Earth's. He and his stock were kidnapped in an alien abduction." Santa explained.

"What happened?"

"They brought him to their own star system, under a yellow sun. They didn’t know what would happen. They weren't prepared to hold him. He freed himself, and overcame his captives. He was heading home, but he couldn't control their ship, not well." Santa explained. "The ship crashed here on earth. I investigated. The ship was almost a complete loss. Your relative and his livestock were the only survivors."

"Golly."

"We found one intact escape pod. He realised he could fly home under his own power, using the escape pod once he was back under a red sun." Santa continued.

"But he couldn't bring his livestock with him, not in the pod. They'd die in space, before they reached Krypton, under the red sun," Superboy was beginning to understand. "He left them in your care."

"Exactly," Santa said.

And Superboy understood, now, how reindeer could fly, at near light speeds, while hauling the weight of toys for children all over the world.

"In my research of Krypton, I've never heard of this story. And you say he was an ancestor of mine. What was his name?" Superboy asked.